Cage valve with multipurpose ring

ABSTRACT

A three-way valve, having (1) a unitary balanced plug, (2) a pair of stacked cages each having an inverted cone-shaped end for engaging separate wedge-shaped ring seals to move them outwardly and into sealing contact with the valve body and (3) a unique ring member to apply a biasing force on the cage to permit the caged parts to expand without becoming distorted when the temperature of the fluid passing through the valve is increased or decreased and to also maintain the ring seals in fluidtight sealing contact with the valve body before, during and after the changes in temperature of the fluid.

United States Patent [15] 3,635,247 Myers 1451 Jan. 18, 1972 [54] CAGEVALVE WITH MULTIPURPOSE 3,063,469 11/1962 Freeman ..137/625.5 x RING3,123,091 3 1964 Elsey ..137/625.5 x 3,188,048 6/1965 Sutherland..137/625.5 X [721 Invent Edward Oman", 3,287,022 11/1966 Soechting..137/625.69 x [73] Assignee: Honeywell Inc'.,' Minneapolis, Minn.

Primary ExaminerSamuel Scott [22] filed Attorney-Arthur H. Swanson,Lockwood D. Burton and John [21] Appl. No.: 6,509 Shaw Stevenson [52]US. Cl... ..137/625.5 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl ..Fl6k 11/00 Athree-way valve, having (I) a unitary balanced plug, (2) a 1 Field surdl1 pair of stacked cages each having an inverted cone-shaped 137/625-5625159152543 end for engaging separate wedge-shaped ring seals to movethem outwardly and into sealing contact with the valve body 156]Rde'ences Cited and (3) a unique ring member to apply a biasing force onthe UNTED STATES PATENTS cage to permit the caged parts to etpandwithout becoming distorted when the temperature of the fluidpassing through 1,2 4. /1 D n X the valve is increased or decreased andto also maintain the 2 V1941 Grove "251/362 ring seals in fluidtightsealing contact with the valve body he- 3 59 t r t a X fore, during andafter the changes in temperature of the fluid. 2,980,] 39 4/1961 Lynn..251/282 X 3,038,499 6/1962 Dumm ..251/282 X 10 Claims, 12 DrawingFigures 11' j I l I I 16 as 7o 44 74 76 g 6 [O H 5 PATENTEIJ JAM 81872sum 1 [IF 2 2O F|G.2 20

FIG. 4

FIG.

. 5 mm TY m m w a ID A Du A W D E Y w O 3 E G m N 0 M C HM w SI. 0 N A.l LAMUH M o m F Si N M o m V v m n v |1,O. D o 0 2 6 I 0 IIIN AA HR 4*o A 0 0 0 0 m m m w PATENIED JAN 1 81972 IN VEN TOR. EDWARD B. MYERSAGENT.

I GAGE VALVE WITI-I MULTIPURPQSE RING It is an object of the presentinvention to provide a threeway diverting valve having a first cageagainst which a first contacting surface of a unitary valve plug can bemoved into sealing contact in order to allow a flow of fluid passing inone direction through an inlet portion in the body of the valve to passthrough and out of a first outlet passageway in the body and to furtherprovide a second cage against which a second contacting surface of theplug can be moved into seating contact in order to allow the flowdirection of the fluid to be changed so that it will flow from the inletport through the body of the valve and thence to, through and out of asecond outlet passageway in the body.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a three-waydiverting valve of the aforementioned type that will allow the flow offluid passing therethrough to be directed in a reverse direction fromthat previously described.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a characterizeddual cage and unitary plug construction for a three-way diverting valvethat will enable the flow of the fluid passing therethrough to alwaysexert a force on the plug in a direction that will tend to retain it ineither of the aforementioned different cage seated positions to whichthe plug has been moved by an actuator.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide abalanced dual cage and a unitary plug having characterized passagewaysextending between its top and bottom surfaces for the aforementionedthree-way diverting valve which will enable the same pressure of fluidpassing therethrough to be applied simultaneously to surface areaslocated on the top and the bottom seating surface of the plug that areof the same size so that the plug will always be maintained in abalanced position during drops or increases which occur in thedifferential pressure of the inlet and outlet fluid associated with thisvalve.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide athree-way diverting valve of the aforementioned type which can, becauseof its self-balanced unitary plug construction, employ an unusuallysmall size power-actuating means to move it.

One of the difficulties heretofore encountered in selling unbalancedthree-way valves of the large size variety has been the high cost andenormous size actuators that were required to be used with these valvesin order to get sufficient power to actuate these plugs from oneposition to another. Sale of these valves have been limited toinstallation areas where space was no problem. They could not beemployed in the majority of installations where these high costs wereinhibited and/or where limited amount of space for installation of thesevalves were required.

It is thus another object of the invention to provide the aforementionedunitary balanced plug feature for these threeway valves so that largersize valves of this type can be provided without requiring anysubstantial increase in the size or weight required for the actuator.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a two-cageunitary plug three-way diverting valve structure whose trim can berapidly removed, repaired and replaced without removing the body of thevalve from the process flow line in which it is installed and therebyincur a reduction in the cost of maintaining the valve in good workingorder.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a unitaryplug, two-cage three-way diverting valve structure having a separate oneof two-ring gaskets purposely constructed of a triangular cross-shapedconfiguration for compressing by the movement of a bonnet and acompressed truncated cone-shaped ring into a long life, nondistortable,leakproof position between the lower end of the lowermost cage and aninner wall of the body and between the two cages and another inner wallof the body.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a unitary plug,two cage, three-way valve whose construction will enable a compressedtruncated cone-shaped ring to be inserted between a characteristicallyshaped inner end of a bonnet and a characteristically shaped top surfaceof the uppermost one of the two cages to thereby allow the ambienttemperature of the fluid which is passing through the valve and itsresulting expansion of the valve parts to occur without these partsbeing brought into permanently distorted contact with one another.

It is another object to provide a compressed truncated coneshaped ringof the aforementioned type which has a plastically deformable range thatwill enable the final tightening of the bonnet into the body to compressa gasket in sealed relation against the top of the valve withoutdistorting the aforementioned triangular shaped seals.

A better understanding of the present invention may be had from thefollowing detailed description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a typical partial cross-sectional view of a cage valve showingthe truncated shaped condition of the multipur' pose force ring duringthe completion of the initial partially assembled stage and after thebonnet of the valve has been manually adjusted to an initial handtightened position and also while the aforementioned seals associatedwith this valve remain in a nonloaded unsealed condition;

FIG. 2 is a typical partial cross-sectional view of a cage valve showingthe force ring in a second partially assembled position in which it hasbeen partially moved by further tightening of the bonnet toward itsinverted truncated cone position while passing through its elastic rangeso that the inherent spring characteristics of the ring at this stage ofassembly will retain the required load on a lower one of the seals toretain it in a sealed condition between the cage and the body of thevalve regardless of the manufacturing tolerances of the bored out partof the body and differences in trim parts of the valve;

FIG. 3 is a typical cross-sectional view of a cage valve showing theforce ring in a third assembled position in which the ring has beenmoved by further tightening of the bonnet away from its elastic range ofoperation into a range where it is in its plastically deformed rangewherein tightening of the bonnet can occur without the ring introducing;a rupturing load on the lower seal or on the upper seal which latterseal has been moved by the bonnet into contact with the top surface ofthe y;

FIG. 4 shows the elastic range over which the ring allows a load versusdeflection to occur between the bonnet and the cage during the initialstep in assembling the cage valve at the left end of the chart andfurther shows the range over which the ring will transmit a desiredplastic deformation without any substantial increase in load between thebonnet and the cage during the final steps in assembling this cagevalve;

FIG. 5 is a view of the truncated cone-shaped ring before it isassembled in the valve;

FIG. 6 is a view of the aforementioned ring when it is moved to theassembled position shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a view showing the maximum inverted truncated cone shapedposition to which the ring may be moved after it has reached its plasticdeformation range condition as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 shows the ring in an assembled condition in a threeway valve thathas two cages that are each seated on triangular sealing rings;

FIG. 9 shows the first one of two cages employed in the three-way valveshown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows the other one of the two cages that are em ployed in thethree-way valve of FIG. 8i;

FIG. 1 1 shows the loose unsealed condition of the single triangularring seal during the initial assembly of the cage valve as shown in FIG.I in enlarged form; and

FIG. 12 shows how the triangular seal is retained in the desirednondeformable position when the multipurpose ring has been moved to itsfinally assembled position such as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 8.

Referring now to the drawings in detail there is shown in FIG. 1 atypical application wherein the aforementioned unique multipurposetruncated conical ring member 10 can be advantageously employed betweena first part, such as a'cage 12 that is mounted in a stationary member14 and a means in the form of a bonnet 16 mounted for movement in thestationary member which forms a body 14 of a cage valve 18.

The ring 10 is preferably constructed of a 18-8 stainless steel materialor any other material that would give the characteristics that is shownin FIG. 4. In order to obtain the characteristics shown in FIG. 4 it hasbeen found to be advantageous to initially prepare the ring for use bycompressing it from its initial truncated cone shape position shown inFIG. into its inverted truncated cone shape position shown in FIG. 7 andto then reverse the position of the ring in the press so it can bepressed in the opposite direction.

The valve 18 is shown in FIG. 1 as having a stem 20 slidably mounted forreciprocal movement with respect to the surface 22 of the bonnet 16. Thevalve plug 24 is fixedly connected for joint reciprocal movement withthe stem at its lower end. The plug 24 in turn is slidably mounted inring bearings 26, 28 that are mounted as shown in the bonnet 16. Theplug 24 is pro vided with a tapered seating surface 30 for engagementwith the lower inner cylindrical edge 32 of the cage 12 so that thepassageway formed by the inner wall of the cage 34 can be cut off and aflow of fluid in the direction of the arrows 36 prevented from passingbetween a first passageway 38 and a second passageway 40.

Although the ring as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 as being employed in athree-way cage valve having two cages l2 and 42 as shown in detail inFIGS. 9 and 10 it should be understood that this ring can bebeneficially employed between a bonnet and a single cage in a two-waycage valve that is required to retain a fixed pressure on a single sealduring ambient temperature expansion of these parts. It can be usedadvantageously in other similar structures where, for example, eitherexpansion due to ambient temperature of two mating parts would otherwisecause abutment and deformation to occur between these parts or wherein,one, or both of these parts must apply a substantially constant pressureto a single seal to retain it in a fluidtight position withoutdistorting the seal upon an increase in ambient temperature of theseparts.

The aforementioned ring 10 can also be beneficially employed tocompensate for a condition wherein undesired manufacturing tolerancesexists between one or both of these parts or in a bored out housing intowhich these parts are assembled.

It can be seen that the tmncated cone shape ring 10 shown in FIG. 5 isinserted into the housing 14 and the lower flat surface of the bonnet 16is manually rotated and moved in a downward direction by means of itsthreaded connection 44 with the body 14 to a hand tightened position asshown in FIG. 1.

Under the FIG. 1 initial assembly stage the triangularshaped ring seal46 shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 and another identical triangular seal 48 shownin FIG. 8 will be retained by the elastic spring 10 in its loosenonsealing condition between the respective associated cages 12, 42 andtheir respective cage 42 and stationary body part 14 of the cage valve18. Under this FIG. 1 initial stage of assembly the commerciallyavailable seal 50 which is preferably of a metal clad asbestos-filledring is in a nonsealed condition between the bonnet 16 and the surface52 forming a recess wall portion on the top surface of the body 14.

As a wrench, not shown, is employed to increase the load applied by thehorizontal surface 54 of bonnet 16 to the inner smallest diametralportion of the ring 10 as shown in FIG. 2 the outer larger diametralportion of the ring 10 will transfer and increasing amount of force in adownward direction to the upper horizontal portion 56 of the cage 12 bythe amount shown by way of an example in the charted elastic range asshown in FIG. 4 for this ring l0.

Under this FIG. 2 or second stage of assembly the previously mentionedtriangular seals 46, 48 shown in FIG. 8 will have been moved outward bythe downward force of the lower chamfered peripheral ends 58, 60 of thecages I2, 42 into sealed tight engagement between their respectiveassociated cages 12, 42 and their respective associated cage 42 andstationary body parts 14 of the cage valve 18.

Under FIG. 2 or the second stage of assembly the surface 62 of thebonnet 16 will have been moved downward to a position in which it isalmost in contact with the seal 50. During the time in which the bonnet16 is moved downward from its second or FIG. 2 position toward the FIG.3 position the shape of the multipurpose ring 10 will be moved in adirection from its initial truncated cone shape towards a position inwhich it is of an inverted truncated cone shape. During the movement ofthe bonnet from the FIG. 2 to FIG. 3 position the inherent elasticcharacteristics of the multipurpose ring 10 will shift from one whichtransfers increasing loads applied to it by the bonnet into proportionalincreases in the force on the cages 12, 42 and seals 46, 48 to one whichpossesses plastic deformation characteristics in which further downwardloading movement of the bonnet and the resulting deflection of the ring10 can take place without the ring transferring a substantial increasein load to the cages 12, 42 and seals 46, 48 that it did when it wasbeing operated in its FIG. I and FIG. 2 positions and in the elasticring shown in FIG. 4.

It can also be seen that when the bonnet has been moved downward to itsFIG. 3 position the seal 50 will be compressed into a desired goodsealing relationship between the bonnet surface 62 and the recesssurface 52 in the body of the valve 18. This last mentioned sealingaction prevents the trim parts which have any number of differences inmanufacturing tolerances to be assembled in a uniform manner in thevalve and with uniform sealing pressure acting on the seals.

It should be noted that without having a unique multipurpose ring 10which initially has an inherent elastic range characteristics and alatter deformable plastic range characteristic it would be impossiblefor the seals 46, 48 to otherwise be assembled without being distortedby downward movement of the bonnet 16.

It can be seen by observing FIG. 4 that after the load of the bonnet hasbeen increased and the ring has been moved from its truncatedcone-shaped position to its flat or horizontal position that the load ofthe bonnet acting on the ring 10 can be rapidly unloaded and reloaded.

The stationary zero load 0.040 inch deflection point on the chart shownin FIG. 4 indicates the condition that the ring 10 will be in during theFIG. 1 condition or a condition immediately after the bonnet has beenthreadedly rotated into a handtight position against the ring 10.

The last plotted point on the right end of the chart indicates the loaddeflection characteristics of the ring when it has been moved from itsinitial truncated cone-shaped position into its fully deflected invertedcone-shaped position.

It should be noted that each of the triangular-shaped ring seals 46, 48are constructed and placed into their final assembled positions as isshown for the seal 46 in FIGS. 11 and 12. The angle A shown in FIG. 11is 45 and the angle B of each of the seals 46, 48 is made of a smallerangle namely 44.

It can be seen that when the chamfered end portions 58, 60 of the cagesl2 and 42 shown in FIG. 8, 11, and 12 are moved from their nonloadedunsealed positions as shown in FIG. 11 to their previously describedloaded seal position as shown in FIG. 12 the seal 46 will be movedoutward against the body 14 and into fluidtight sealed contact with thelower end portion 58 of the cage 12 and the upper end of the lower cage42.

The seal 48 will likewise be moved a similar fluidtight sealing manneroutward and downward against the body 14 and outward into contact withthe lower end portion 60 of the lowermost cage 42.

The stem 20 of the plug 24 shown in FIG. 8 is threadedly connected at 64to the plug and has a retaining shoe 66 positioned in the plug to retainthe plug 24 and stem 20 in a fixed relation with one another as a fluid,not shown, is applied to the spring return piston-type actuator 65 thatin turn is connected for movement with the other end of the stem 2b.

The plug also has a pair of angularly positioned passageways fill and'70 connected to and opening into a vertical passageway '72; to allowthe same pressure of the fluid to be applied to the areas 74, 76; 3b, 32formed by the bonnet l6 and cage 42 along which the plug M is broughtinto engagement.

When the plug is in its lowermost dotted line position a fluid can flowfrom a flow line, not shown, but which is located at the left sidepassageway 78 of the three-way valve shown in H6. 8 through thepassageway so in the body 114 thru aperture-forming walls 82, 84 formedin a cage 42 thru apertureforming walls as, 88 formed in a cage l2 andout of the passageway id. It can be seen that the fluid can also bedirected in a reverse direction from that just described wherein itpasses from passageway 40 to passageway 78.

When the lower end of the plug is in its uppermost outlined position thefluid can flow from a flow line, not shown, through the left sidepassageway '78 of the three-way valve, shown in FIG. b, through thepassageway all in the body through aperture-forming walls 82, Ml of thecage 42 and out the passageway 36.

it can be seen that the fluid can also be directed in a reversedirection from that just described wherein it passes from passageway asto passageway 78.

lo any of the aforementioned conditions of the unitary plug it willalways be maintained in a fully balanced position due to the previouslydescribed equal top and bottom trim areas along which the same fluidpressure is allowed to be applied thereto.

Experimentation has shown that under any of the aforementionedconditions of the unitary plug and/or under any condition in which theambient temperature of the parts due to the hot temperature of the fluidpassing through the valve extends through abnormally high and lowtemperatures, the valve will perform its functions without anydistortion or leakage taking place at any of the seals as, 413, 50,because of the unique arrangement of the multipurpose ring 10.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A balanced three-way valve comprising a hollow body having an inletand two outlet passageways, a cage means positioned within and incontact with said body at a location that is between the inlet andoutlet passageways and having a pair of spaced-apart seating surfacesthereon, said cage means having a peripheral beveled end portion and aresilient seating ring forming a seal between the beveled end of thecage means and a body portion that is adjacent thereto, the outerperiphery of the seating ring having a surface portion that is at adifferent inclined angle than the angle forming the beveled end of thecage, a means to jointly move said beveled end of the cage means intocompressed engagement with the seating ring and the ring into compressedfluidtight engagement with said body with which the ring is in contact,a unitary plug mounted for movement into engagement with one or theother of the said seating surfaces to provide a way of diverting a flowof fluid from said inlet to a selected one of said outlet passageways,said plug having passageways extending between its top and bottomsurfaces to allow the pressure of the fluid to be simultaneously appliedto these surfaces and along equal areas thereof to maintain the plug ina balanced condition when said plug is in either one of said fluid flowdiverting positions and while drops and increases occur between thepressure of the fluids that are passing into the inlet and flowing outof the outlet passageways.

Z. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim ll wherein saidresilient seating ring is of wedge shaped cross section and is looselypositioned within a wall of the body and at a position that isimmediately under the beveled peripheral end portion of the cage means,said peripheral end portion formed by said beveled end of the cage meansbeing inclined at a different angle than an inner inclined annularsurface of said wedgeshaped ring, and wherein said beveled end portionof said cage means is moved into peripheral compressed engagement withthe inclined surface of the wedge by said movable means to therebyprovide a fluidtight seal between the external peripheral end portion ofthe cage and a wall of the body ad jaeent thereto.

3. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the cagemeans is of a two cage part construction, a peripheral end formed bysaid beveled end is positioned to form a base portion of the first ofsaid two cages, said resilient seating ring is of wedge shape crosssection and is positioned within the body between the body and said baseportion, a second wedge-shaped seating ring is positioned within thebody between the top end of the first cage and a bottom conical end ofthe second cage, the outside surface of said second cage is mounted inslidable contact with a portion of the wall that forms an inner surfaceof the body, said movable means is employed to simultaneously positionthe beveled peripheral end portion of the first cage into fluidtight:engagement with the first wedge-shaped seating ring and the bottom endof the second cage and the top end of the first cage into fluidtightengagement with the second wedge-shaped seating ring and thereby providefluidtight seals between the walls of the body and the ends of each ofsaid cages.

4L The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the seatingring is of a wedge-shaped cross section and is loosely positioned withinan inner wall of the body at a position that is immediately under thebeveled end portion of the cage means, said beveled end portion of thecage means being positioned to form an inverted cone surface on aperiphery of the cage means inclined at said different angle than theinclined surface formed on said wedge-shaped seating ring, and whereinsaid means is employed to move the beveled peripheral end portion of thecage means into peripheral compressed engagement with said inclinedsurface on the wedgeshaped seating ring to thereby provide a fluidtightseal between the external peripheral end portion of the cage means and awall of the body adjacent thereto and wherein the angular differencethat exists between the peripheral beveled end of said cage means andthe angle at which said inclined surface is formed on the wedge-shapedseating ring, enables the movable means to force the wedge-shapedseating ring in an outward direction against said inner surface of thebody.

5. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the seatingring is of a resilient wedge-shaped cross section and is looselypositioned within a wall of the body and at a position that isimmediately under a peripheral end portion formed by said beveled end ofthe cage means, said peripheral end portion of the cage means beinginclined at a different angle than an inner inclined annular surface ofsaid wedgeshaped ring, and said cage moving means is employed to movesaid beveled end portion of the cage means into peripheral compressedengagement with the inclined surface of the resilient wedge-shaped ringto thereby provide a fluidtight seal between the external peripheral endportion of the cage and a wall of the body and wherein said beveledshaped end of the cage and said inclined surface of the wedge differsfrom one another by substantially one degree.

6. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the seatingring is of a resilient wedge-shaped cross section is loosely positionedwithin a wall of the body and at a position that is immediately under aperipheral end portion formed by said beveled end of the cage means,said peripheral end portion of the cage means being inclined at adifferent angle than an inclined peripheral surface of said wedge-shapedring, and said cage moving means is employed to move the beveled portionof the cage means into peripheral compressed engagement with theinclined surface of said wedge-shaped ring to thereby provide afluidtight seal between the external peripheral end portion of the cagemeans and a wall of the body and wherein the difference in said beveledshaped angle of said cage means and the angle at which the inclinedsurface is formed on the wedge-shaped seating ring enables the materialof the ring to be forced in an outward direction against said innersurface of the body during said movement of the movable means andwherein the angular difference in said beveled shaped end of each cageand the said inclined surfaces of each of their associated wedges issubstantially one degree.

7. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the seatingring is of a wedge-shaped cross section loosely positioned within a wallof the body and at a position that is immediately under a peripheral endportion formed by said beveled end of the cage means, said peripheralend portion of the cage means being inclined at a different angle thanan inclined peripheral surface forming said wedge-shaped ring, and saidcage-moving means is employed to move the beveled end portion of thecage means into peripheral compressed engagement with the inclinedsurface of the wedge to thereby provide a fluidtight seal between theexternal peripheral end portion of the cage means and a wall of the bodyand wherein said beveled shaped end of the cage is at a substantially 45angle and its associated wedge is inclined at a substantially 44 angle.

8. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the seatingring is of a wedge-shaped cross section loosely positioned within a wallof the body and at a position that is immediately under a peripheral endportion formed by said beveled end of the cage means, said peripheralend portion of said cage means being inclined at a different angle thanan inclined peripheral surface forming said wedge-shaped ring, and saidcage-moving means is employed to move the beveled portion of the cagemeans into peripheral compressed engagement with the inclined surface ofthe wedge to thereby provide a fluidtight seal between the externalperipheral end portion of the cage means and a wall of the body andwherein the difference in said beveled shaped angle of said cage meansand the angle at which said inclined surface is formed on thewedge-shaped seating ring enables the material of the ring to be forcedin an outward direction against said inner surface of the body duringsaid movement of the movable means and wherein each of said beveledshaped end of the cage is at a substantially 45 angle and the wedgeassociated with said cage means is inclined at a substantially 44 angle.

9. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the seatingring is of a wedge-shaped cross section loosely positioned within a wallof the body and at a position that is immediately under a peripheral endportion formed by said beveled end of the cage means, said peripheralend portion of the cage means being inclined at a different angle thanan inclined peripheral surface fonning said wedge-shaped ring, and saidcage-moving means is employed to move the beveled end portion of thecage means into peripheral compressed engagement with the inclinedsurface of the wedge to thereby provide a fluidtight seal between theexternal peripheral end portion of the cage and a wall of the body andwherein a flexible force applying ring is employed between the end of abonnet connected to the body and the end of the cage means'to enablesaid cage means to be slidably elongated in a direction along a wallformed by an inner wall surface of the body upon the occurrence of anincrease in temperature of the fluid passing through said valve withoutthe end of the cage means being brought into distorted contact with thebody and said bonnet.

10. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the seatingring is of a wedge-shaped cross section loosely positioned within aninner wall of the body and at a position that is immediately under aperipheral end portion formed by said beveled end of the cage means,said peripheral end portion being inclined at a different angle than aninclined peripheral surface forming said wedge-shaped ring, saidcagemoving means is employed to move the beveled portion of the cagemeans into peripheral compressed engagement with the inclined surface ofthe wedge to thereby provide a fluidtight seal between the externalperipheral end portion of the cage and an inner wall of the body, saidbeveled shaped angle of said ca e means and the angle at which saidinclined surface is forme on the wedge-shaped seating ring differingfrom one another to enable the material of the ring to be forced in anoutward direction against said inner surface of the body during saidmovement of the movable means and wherein a flexible ring of an invertedfunnel shape is employed between the end of a bonnet connected to thebody and the end of the second cage to enable said cages to be slidablyelongated in a direction along a wall formed by the inner wall surfaceof the body upon the occurrence of an increase in temperature of thefluid passing through said valve without the end of the cages beingbrought into distorted contact with one another and with the body andthe bonnet.

1. A balanced three-way valve comprising a hollow body having an inletand two outlet passageways, a cage means positioned within and incontact with said body at a location that is between the inlet andoutlet passageways and having a pair of spaced-apart seating surfacesthereon, said cage means having a peripheral beveled end portion and aresilient seating ring forming a seal between the beveled end of thecage means and a body portion that is adjacent thereto, the outerperiphery of the seating ring having a surface portion that is at adifferent inclined angle than the angle forming the beveled end of thecage, a means to jointly move said beveled end of the cage means intocompressed engagement with the seating ring and the ring into compressedfluidtight engagement with said body with which the ring is in contact,a unitary plug mounted for movement into engagement with one or theother of the said seating surfaces to provide a way of diverting a flowof fluid from said inlet to a selected one of said outlet passageways,said plug having passageways extending between its top and bottomsurfaces to allow the pressure of the fluid to be simultaneously appliedto these surfaces and along equal areas thereof to maintain the plug ina balanced condition when said plug is in either one of said fluid flowdiverting positions and while drops and increases occur between thepressure of the fluids that are passing into the inlet and flowing outof the outlet passageways.
 2. The balanced three-way valve defined inclaim 1 wherein said resilient seating ring is of wedge-shaped crosssection and is loosely positioned within a wall of the body and at aposition that is immediately under the beveled peripheral end portion ofthe cage means, said peripheral end portion formed by said beveled endof the cage means being inclined at a different angle than an innerinclined annular surface of said wedge-shaped ring, and wherein saidbeveled end portion of said cage means is moved into peripheralcompressed engagement with the inclined surface of the wedge by saidmovable means to thereby provide a fluidtight seal between the externalperipheral end portion of the cage and a wall of the body adjacentthereto.
 3. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein thecage means is of a two-cage part construction, a peripheral end formedby said beveled end is positioned to form a base portion of the first ofsaid two cages, said resilient seating ring is of wedge shape crosssection and is positioned within the body between the body and said baseportion, a second wedge-shaped seating ring is positioned within thebody between the top end of the first cage and a bottom conical end ofthe second cage, the outside surface of said second cage is mounted inslidable contact with a portion of the wall that forms an inner surfaceof the body, said movable means is employed to simultaneously positionthe beveled peripheral end portion of the first cage into fluidtightengagement with the first wedge-shaped seating ring and the bottom endof the second cage and the top end of the first cage into fluidtightengagement with the second wedge-shaped seating ring and thereby providefluidtight seals between the walls of the body and the ends of each ofsaid cages.
 4. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 whereinthe seating ring is of a wedge-shaped cross section and is looselypositioned within an inner wall of the body at a position that isimmediately under the beveled end portion of the cage means, saidbeveled end portion of the cage means being positioned to form aninverted cone surface on a periphery of the cage means inclined at saiddifferent angle than the inclined surface formed on said wedge-shapedseating ring, and wherein said means is employed to move the bevelEdperipheral end portion of the cage means into peripheral compressedengagement with said inclined surface on the wedge-shaped seating ringto thereby provide a fluidtight seal between the external peripheral endportion of the cage means and a wall of the body adjacent thereto andwherein the angular difference that exists between the peripheralbeveled end of said cage means and the angle at which said inclinedsurface is formed on the wedge-shaped seating ring, enables the movablemeans to force the wedge-shaped seating ring in an outward directionagainst said inner surface of the body.
 5. The balanced three-way valvedefined in claim 1 wherein the seating ring is of a resilientwedge-shaped cross section and is loosely positioned within a wall ofthe body and at a position that is immediately under a peripheral endportion formed by said beveled end of the cage means, said peripheralend portion of the cage means being inclined at a different angle thanan inner inclined annular surface of said wedge-shaped ring, and saidcage moving means is employed to move said beveled end portion of thecage means into peripheral compressed engagement with the inclinedsurface of the resilient wedge-shaped ring to thereby provide afluidtight seal between the external peripheral end portion of the cageand a wall of the body and wherein said beveled shaped end of the cageand said inclined surface of the wedge differs from one another bysubstantially one degree.
 6. The balanced three-way valve defined inclaim 1 wherein the seating ring is of a resilient wedge-shaped crosssection is loosely positioned within a wall of the body and at aposition that is immediately under a peripheral end portion formed bysaid beveled end of the cage means, said peripheral end portion of thecage means being inclined at a different angle than an inclinedperipheral surface of said wedge-shaped ring, and said cage-moving meansis employed to move the beveled portion of the cage means intoperipheral compressed engagement with the inclined surface of saidwedge-shaped ring to thereby provide a fluidtight seal between theexternal peripheral end portion of the cage means and a wall of the bodyand wherein the difference in said beveled shaped angle of said cagemeans and the angle at which the inclined surface is formed on thewedge-shaped seating ring enables the material of the ring to be forcedin an outward direction against said inner surface of the body duringsaid movement of the movable means and wherein the angular difference insaid beveled shaped end of each cage and the said inclined surfaces ofeach of their associated wedges is substantially one degree.
 7. Thebalanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the seating ring isof a wedge-shaped cross section loosely positioned within a wall of thebody and at a position that is immediately under a peripheral endportion formed by said beveled end of the cage means, said peripheralend portion of the cage means being inclined at a different angle thanan inclined peripheral surface forming said wedge-shaped ring, and saidcage-moving means is employed to move the beveled end portion of thecage means into peripheral compressed engagement with the inclinedsurface of the wedge to thereby provide a fluidtight seal between theexternal peripheral end portion of the cage means and a wall of the bodyand wherein said beveled shaped end of the cage is at a substantially45* angle and its associated wedge is inclined at a substantially 44*angle.
 8. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein theseating ring is of a wedge-shaped cross section loosely positionedwithin a wall of the body and at a position that is immediately under aperipheral end portion formed by said beveled end of the cage means,said peripheral end portion of said cage means being inclined at adifferent angle than an inclined peripheral surface forming saidwedge-shaped ring, and said cage-moving means is employed to move thebeveled portion of the cage means into peripheral compressed engagementwith the inclined surface of the wedge to thereby provide a fluidtightseal between the external peripheral end portion of the cage means and awall of the body and wherein the difference in said beveled shaped angleof said cage means and the angle at which said inclined surface isformed on the wedge-shaped seating ring enables the material of the ringto be forced in an outward direction against said inner surface of thebody during said movement of the movable means and wherein each of saidbeveled shaped end of the cage is at a substantially 45* angle and thewedge associated with said cage means is inclined at a substantially 44*angle.
 9. The balanced three-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein theseating ring is of a wedge-shaped cross section loosely positionedwithin a wall of the body and at a position that is immediately under aperipheral end portion formed by said beveled end of the cage means,said peripheral end portion of the cage means being inclined at adifferent angle than an inclined peripheral surface forming saidwedge-shaped ring, and said cage-moving means is employed to move thebeveled end portion of the cage means into peripheral compressedengagement with the inclined surface of the wedge to thereby provide afluidtight seal between the external peripheral end portion of the cageand a wall of the body and wherein a flexible force applying ring isemployed between the end of a bonnet connected to the body and the endof the cage means to enable said cage means to be slidably elongated ina direction along a wall formed by an inner wall surface of the bodyupon the occurrence of an increase in temperature of the fluid passingthrough said valve without the end of the cage means being brought intodistorted contact with the body and said bonnet.
 10. The balancedthree-way valve defined in claim 1 wherein the seating ring is of awedge-shaped cross section loosely positioned within an inner wall ofthe body and at a position that is immediately under a peripheral endportion formed by said beveled end of the cage means, said peripheralend portion being inclined at a different angle than an inclinedperipheral surface forming said wedge-shaped ring, said cage-movingmeans is employed to move the beveled portion of the cage means intoperipheral compressed engagement with the inclined surface of the wedgeto thereby provide a fluidtight seal between the external peripheral endportion of the cage and an inner wall of the body, said beveled shapedangle of said cage means and the angle at which said inclined surface isformed on the wedge-shaped seating ring differing from one another toenable the material of the ring to be forced in an outward directionagainst said inner surface of the body during said movement of themovable means and wherein a flexible ring of an inverted funnel shape isemployed between the end of a bonnet connected to the body and the endof the second cage to enable said cages to be slidably elongated in adirection along a wall formed by the inner wall surface of the body uponthe occurrence of an increase in temperature of the fluid passingthrough said valve without the end of the cages being brought intodistorted contact with one another and with the body and the bonnet.